This is a true story about an assistant manager who worked hard, followed directions well and aspired to be a restaurant manager.  She worked in my district under a general manager who had years of experience but lacked the typical “get up and go”.

What is Menu Management?
The restaurant industry is notoriously selective about adopting new technologies. Only truly revolutionary, business-building tools are worth the investment to integrate in a busy restaurant. Menu management service is one of those game-changing technologies. The core concept is to shift all of a restaurant’s menu needs - designing, updating, printing, distribution - onto a web-based platform.

The profound benefits of online menu management include leveraging the power of menus to make sales, attract new customers and build loyalty. Menus that are managed online have potential to reach new audiences of web, social media, and mobile consumers. And perhaps most importantly for an overworked restaurateur, it eliminates some big headaches from traditional menu work. These services are relatively new and the offerings are sure to expand, but desktop menu publishing will soon be eclipsed by online menu management systems.

If its time to make your orders to go, Snapfinger may be the way to go.

A large restaurant company will have a book of rules which is so thick that no one is able to remember page 234 or what is supposed to happen every 89 days on leap years.  The restaurateur with one or two locations may not have a rule book which leaves the staff with no direction and no expectations. 

Despite how much you might despise online reviews, I think most of us have come to realize online reviews matter.  A negative review doesn’t just hurt your pride.  It hurts your wallet.  In fact, Harvard Business School has done a study that shows a difference of one star can mean 5-9% in sales.   

The SeaTac airport concessionaires sold 1.7 million bottles of water; 230,000 bags of M&Ms; 90,000 neck pillows; 20,000 copies of “50 Shades of Gray,” which was the biggest selling book at Sea-Tac concessions, and nearly 10,000 “Sleepless in Seattle” nightshirt/PJs.

To be a successful leader you must understand the basic human needs and meet them well.   

The number 13 has a notoriously negative stigma attached.  Hotels in the United States do not have a 13^th floor, and the number is generally known for being one of bad luck and avoided at all costs. 

Dan … is a restaurant owner who enjoys cooking and avoids technology.  Working side by side with his staff is very enjoyable and Dan believes in leading by example.  There is no job in the restaurant he believes he is too good for.

Take a good look in the mirror.  Do you have any of these dumb restaurant marketing habits?